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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho WinterCraft WP72 vs Nexen Winguard Sport — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 3 road tests and 28 + 27 owner reviews. How we score

WinterCraft WP72 leads, 70–66 Narrow edge

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Nexen Winguard Sport
Tire BNexen

Winguard Sport

Winter

± 7

Tests 68 · 3 tests Owners 64 · 27 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (noise)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 65

    Dry

    WinterCraft WP72 +1
    64
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72Winguard Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 66 (est.)68
    Reviews found online6358

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 66 (est.) + 40% × 63.3 = 65

    Winguard Sport: 60% × 68.3 + 40% × 57.5 = 64

    No road tests of dry for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 74

    Wet

    WinterCraft WP72 +6
    68
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72Winguard Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 73 (est.)70
    Reviews found online7665

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 73.3 (est.) + 40% × 75.5 = 74

    Winguard Sport: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 64.9 = 68

    No road tests of wet for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 73

    Snow

    WinterCraft WP72 +2
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72Winguard Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 72 (est.)72
    Reviews found online7670

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 72.1 (est.) + 40% × 75.5 = 73

    Winguard Sport: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 69.6 = 71

    No road tests of snow for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 66

    Comfort

    WinterCraft WP72 +3
    63
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72Winguard Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online6561

    WinterCraft WP72: 40% × 67.9 (est.) + 60% × 65 = 66

    Winguard Sport: 40% × 67 (est.) + 60% × 60.5 = 63

    No road tests of comfort for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for Winguard Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 66

    Noise

    Winguard Sport +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72Winguard Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 66 (est.)80
    Reviews found online6458

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.4 = 66

    Winguard Sport: 60% × 80.1 + 40% × 58.4 = 71

    No road tests of noise for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 70

    Treadwear

    WinterCraft WP72 +6
    64
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72Winguard Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 69 (est.)60
    Reviews found online7369

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 68.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.7 = 70

    Winguard Sport: 60% × 60.2 + 40% × 68.8 = 64

    No road tests of treadwear for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 66

    Handling (owners)

    WinterCraft WP72 +9
    57
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72Winguard Sport
    Reviews found online6657
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    53
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72Winguard Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests–53
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho WinterCraft WP72Nexen Winguard Sport
Relative Score 70 66
Dry 65 64
Wet 74 68
Snow 73 71
Comfort 66 63
Noise 66 71
Treadwear 70 64
Handling (owners) 66 57
Efficiency – 53

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

WinterCraft WP72

± 7

Winguard Sport

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryWinterCraft WP72Winguard SportΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/2 2025 AutoView Winter Tire Test R19 #48/54 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A WinterCraft WP72

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in snow, slush, and deep snow conditions
  • Great value and budget-friendly pricing compared to tier-one premium brands
  • Surprisingly low noise levels and high comfort for a winter tire

Cons

  • Some users reported vague high-speed handling or a 'jelly' sidewall feel at speeds over 50-60 mph
  • A few mentions of increased noise compared to standard all-season tires
  • Potential for flat-spotting due to nylon cord construction, making balancing difficult for some
All owner themes in the WinterCraft WP72 review

Tire B Winguard Sport

Pros

  • Exceptional value and budget-friendly pricing compared to major brand alternatives
  • Strong traction and control in snow, slush, and compacted winter conditions
  • Remarkably quiet and smooth ride with low road noise

Cons

  • Occasional understeer or reduced grip on semi-dry or wet roads
  • Performance degrades in warmer transition temperatures (around 4-13°C)
  • Some mixed feedback regarding ice performance compared to dedicated Scandinavian winter tires
All owner themes in the Winguard Sport review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho WinterCraft WP72 B · Nexen Winguard Sport
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available2537
Rim diameters18″ – 21″15″ – 20″
Tread depth11/32″11/32″
Treadwear warranty—25,000 mi
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure51 psi44 psi
Sizes in common55

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72

Nexen Winguard Sport

Narrow edge: Kumho WinterCraft WP72 — better handling, wet and treadwear. Pick the Nexen Winguard Sport if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 66 vs 57 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 74 vs 68 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 70 vs 64 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Nexen Winguard Sport scores 71 vs 66 on noise.

Tire A · Kumho WinterCraft WP72
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Tire B · Nexen Winguard Sport
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WinterCraft WP72 or Winguard Sport?

Which is better in the wet, WinterCraft WP72 or Winguard Sport?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72, 74 vs 68 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, WinterCraft WP72 or Winguard Sport?

Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 64 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, WinterCraft WP72 or Winguard Sport?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 71 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, WinterCraft WP72 or Winguard Sport?

Nexen Winguard Sport, 71 vs 66 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, WinterCraft WP72 or Winguard Sport?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72, 66 vs 63 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, WinterCraft WP72 or Winguard Sport?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72, 70 vs 64 on our treadwear score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology